40 Spirited Studio Ghibli T-Shirts

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese anime studio which has produced 18 popular feature films to-date (as well as a number of short films.). Eight of Studio Ghibli’s movies rank in the top 15 highest-grossing anime films made in Japan. Spirited Away is the highest, grossing over $274 million, it was considered a worldwide success. So much so, in 2002, Spirited Away won the Oscar award for Best Animated Feature – it is both the only anime, and only non-English film to ever achieve this. Studio Ghibli’s films and creatures are popular with anime fans around the world, and this is reflected in the awesome range of Studio Ghibli inspired tees below!

My neighborhood friends T-Shirt

My Sweet Friends T-Shirt

Totoro Totem T-Shirt

Neighbor’s Road T-Shirt

Anatomy of a Basu T-Shirt

The films of Japan’s Studio Ghibli have been compared to those produced by Disney, but Studio Ghibli is really in a class all its own. Founded in 1985 by the director Hayao Miyazaki along with director Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli has been responsible for classic animated films that have been successful and beloved throughout the world. Although the studio is primarily associated with Miyazaki, a number of directors have worked with Studio Ghibli for a total of 18 feature film releases.

The first film released by the studio was Miyazaki’s “Castle in the Sky,” but its second release directed by Takahata, “Grave of the Fireflies,” is more famous. Released in 1988, the anti-war film tells the story of a young boy caring for his sister during World War II. “My Neighbor Totoro,” the studio’s third release and another popular picture, is the tale of two little girls who meet Totoro, a wood spirit. Both Totoro and the cat bus in which he rides have become iconic Studio Ghibli figures. “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” which follows a young witch making her way alone in the big city, was not just the first big financial success for the studio but became Japan’s highest-grossing film in the year of its release, 1989.

“Princess Mononoke,” a stunning and melancholy fable about a conflict between forest spirits and the humans who plunder their environment, was a breakout film of sorts for the studio. Not only was it Japan’s highest-grossing film in 1997 but it was highly critically acclaimed, and though it was not initially a big box office draw in the United States, it has gone on to be one of the studio’s most popular films among Western viewers. Four years later, “Spirited Away” had a similar impact. Chihiro, the heroine of the film, finds herself trapped in another world when she and her parents stop to explore an abandoned amusement park, and she must help end a curse in order to escape. The film won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

In 2004, the studio turned to the work of popular British children’s writer Diana Wynne Jones to make “Howl’s Moving Castle,” another popular release. The studio’s 16th film, “The Secret World of Arrietty,” also looked to British children’s books for inspiration. In this case, it was Mary Norton’s Borrowers series about tiny humans living secretly alongside normal-sized ones.

The release of the studio’s 18th movie at the Venice Film Festival, “The Wind Rises,” coincided with the announcement of Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement. The 72-year-old director had twice attempted to retire in the past, once just after the release of “Princess Mononoke.” He returned from his first retirement to direct “Spirited Away” and his second to direct “Howl’s Moving Castle” after its director quit suddenly.

In addition to feature films, the studio has been responsible for a number of short films, music videos, commercials and more, While Miyazaki’s son, Gorō Miyazaki, has expressed reluctance in the past to follow his father’s directing career, he has directed two features for the studio including the 2011 film “From Up On Poppy Hill.” With several strong directors in its stable, even with the retirement of its famous founder, Studio Ghibli is likely to continue producing some of the best animation in the world.